A fastening apparatus may be utilized in the manufacturing industry to fasten a variety of parts in the building and assembly process. Various types of fastening apparatus, including wrenches and pliers, may be utilized in the automotive manufacturing process, for example, to fasten a lug nut, such as those used to secure a wheel of an automobile, while on a manufacturing assembly line. Sometimes, fasteners may be used in combination with fastening apparatus to ensure that a particular piecework is securely fastened. For example, a castellated nut may be fastened with a cotter pin to secure ball joint attachments.
Some common fasteners used in manufacturing may include pins and nuts. Generally, a pin may be a single or multi-tined fastener made from rigid material, which is passed through a hole or holes to secure a piecework. A pin, such as a cotter pin, for example, may be a two-tined fastener. In an installation process, a pin may be passed through a hole or holes and the tines of the pin may be bent to fix the pin in a secure position, thus fastening a piecework. The tines may be bent using tools such as pliers, prongs, or the like. The pin may be further secured by striking the pin with a tool such as a hammer or the like to ensure the pin is adequately bent.
Nuts are another common type of fastener used in manufacturing. A nut may be a fastener with a threaded hole commonly used with a bolt to fasten a piecework. Torque may be applied to the nut to secure it with the bolt, thus fastening a piecework. Torque may be applied by hand, or more preferably, using a tool such as one of a variety of wrenches (e.g. crescent wrench, boxed-end wrench, open-end wrench, torque wrench, etc.), a drill, a ratchet, pliers, or the like. The edges of a nut may be smooth, or may be notched with any number of notches. A nut with a notch or notches may be referred to as a castellated nut or slotted nut. A castellated nut may be used with a bolt that contains one or more holes through its threaded end. After coupling the castellated nut to the bolt, the hole or holes in the bolt may align with a notch in the castellated nut. If a hole in the bolt does not align with the desired notch in the castellated nut, the nut may be rotated so that the hole aligns with a notch. A tool such as one previously mentioned may be used to adjust the alignment of the castellated nut. Once the hole and the notch are aligned, a pin, such as a cotter pin, may be used to further secure the castellated nut. A pin may be passed through a notch of the castellated nut, through a hole or holes of the bolt and through the notch on the opposite side of the castellated nut. The tines of the pin may then be bent to securely fasten the castellated nut. As mentioned previously, the pin may require additional pressure or striking in order to bend the pin into a secure position. A hammer or the like may be used to strike the pin. Additionally, the pin may need to be laid in a particular position, such as flat against a piecework, or oriented in a downward position so that the pin will not snag on other parts.
During the manufacturing process, several combinations of fasteners may be used repeatedly. For example, a castellated nut and a cotter pin may be used to fasten a ball joint attachment and this may be repeated for each ball joint attachment. It is desirable for quality control purposes that fasteners be laid and fastened in a proper and consistent manner. Currently, multiple tools may be required to fasten a particular fastener or combination of fasteners. As each tool is used, the fastening process may vary considerably for each fastener resulting in inconsistent laying and fastening.
Additionally, it is desirable in manufacturing to streamline processes and minimize manufacturing time. Sometimes, different tools may be required to fasten different fasteners. Manufacturing time is lost when switching tools. For example, it may take several seconds or more to fasten a cotter pin using pliers, then put down the pliers and search for a hammer to further secure the cotter pin. Sometimes adjustments may be required to ensure proper alignment of combinations of fasteners, such as when fastening a castellated nut with a cotter pin. Once a cotter pin is placed through a castellated nut, it may be desirable to fasten the cotter pin tines in a downward position so as not to snag on other parts. Additional manufacturing time is lost when adjustments are made. Thus, a need exists for improved apparatus for consistently fastening fasteners in an efficient mariner.